after peaches

* Selected for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens 2011, and shortlisted for the 2010 Bolen Book Children’s Book Prize, and the 2011 Chocolate Lily Awards and Rocky Mountain Book Award

Ten-year-old Rosario Ramirez and her family are political refugees from Mexico, trying to make a new life in Canada. After being teased at school, Rosario vows not to speak English again until she can speak with an accent that’s one hundred percent Canadian. Since she and her parents plan to spend the whole summer working on BC fruit farms, she will be surrounded by Spanish speakers again. But when her family’s closest friend Jose gets terribly sick, Rosario’s plans start to unravel. Neither Jose nor Rosario’s parents speak English well enough to get him the help he needs. Like it or not, Rosario must face her fears about letting her voice be heard.

The proposal for this book won the 2007 Frances E. Russell Award from the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) – Canada.

Fiction for ages 8 +

Reviews

“Written in first person with clarity and understanding, this chapter book reflects the experiences and emotions of the many immigrant children who work to fit in despite sometimes feeling ill at ease in their new countries…Handsome jacket art and a sturdy paperback format make this quietly appealing narrative an attractive choice.”

- Booklist

“An excellent, gripping premise.”

-St. Albert Gazette

“After Peaches has strong educative potential as a tool for introducing and discussing the experiences of New Canadians. Moreover, the novel is an interesting and engaging read that might better help children to understand the topic and its complexity than the typical type of resources that teachers might otherwise employ. Recommended.”

- CM Magazine

“… an inspirational read for any child who is learning a second language.”

-Canadian Children’s Book News

“… this book would resonate with readers who have ever felt like outsiders.”

-Puget Sound Council for Reviewing Children’s Media

“The author’s portrayal of immigrant life is convincing. The reader will sympathize with Rosie, and see the courage in making and learning from mistakes … Recommended.”

-Library Media Connection

“The book doesn’t avoid introducing its young readers to real-life issues…Maintain[s] narrative unity and avoids sentimentality and self-righteousness in its depiction of the exploitation of immigrant workers.”

-Canadian Literature